Not in Love: The Last Shinigami
by Lucifer Hisaki
Summary: A year after Sandaime Hokage died, a new evil threatens the entire Shinobi community. Its leader, a Shinigami and only two remain in his way. This is the story of the Last Shinigami, the only one bound to another or others... Yaoi KakaIru and Sasunaru
1. Disclaimer and Author Notes

Title: Not in Love: Last Shinigami 

Author: Squall Morpheus Leonhart 

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto but I am on hold for episodes 1-73 to arrive! Plus two Plushies (Kakashi and Iruka). I do own all characters, ideas, and OC personalities that have nothing to do with the Canon Naruto. 

Summary: A year after Sandaime Hokage died, a new evil threatens the entire Shinobi legacy. The leader is a Shinigami and it is well known that to kill a Shinigami, one must have a Shinigami or be a Shinigami. There are only three left. This is the story of the Last Shinigami and the only one to be bound to another and _others_... As Kakashi and Iruka become inevitably entwined as well as Sasuke and Naruto, bonds will be made and destroyed or it is already to late for them to get together before everything is gone!!! 

Rating: R - NC/17(maybe) 

Warnings: Death, Yaoi, Lime, Angst, and all that other good stuff. Oh and lots of gore and blood in later chapters. 

Pairings: Kakairu, SasuNaru, ???Saku(I dunno, you decide!)   
  
  
AN: This story came to be as a need for myself to see more Iruka-based action/adventure Romance. Since my old obsession for Naruto has been renewed, I started to be seeing the Sensei in a new light, but that might be due to the fact that I hardly saw the teacher in Anime club last year, we only seen episodes 2-3 whereas this year is 1-4. So...^^;;;; 

I noticed that a lot of stories for the Dolphin are pretty much with him as a submittive, naïve, or background character that does not appear much or apparently do much. Though in the Canon, I think this is correct but I wanted to see more of him in the action role and thus he became my Shinigami. 

This story is greatly inspired by other stories that I have read but I have changed them to make them mine and mine alone. Some cameos, events or other miscellaneous things that do not appear in Naruto is fueled by my other obsessions I had in the past. Here are some of the following: Yami no Matsuei, Nightrunners by Lynn Flewelling, Final Fantasy VIII and others. 

I hope you do enjoy this and please not that I will not post the second chapter unless I have at least ten for this chapter. I'm really desperate on feedback but I do not like flames and my other works are pretty much deprived of that causing me to discontinue them. I do not want the same for this story. 


	2. Chapter One

**Not in Love: The Last Shinigami**

  
Chapter One   
By   
Squall Morpheus Leonhart 

~*~

Many millennia ago, there were three sects of military, the Summoners, the Shinobi and the Samurai. All three were used as protection against the demons and evils of their time until civil war broke out from the once united country of Kessoku. The Summoners and Samurai perished and the Shinobi rule all until five Shinobi Generals began the next civil war. From then came the Five Great Shinobi countries. 

The Summoners were magicians of sorts. They were able to summon demi-gods that they attained from their trials as apprentices. They also wielded the elements more closely than their other counterparts. Though, a summoner was not as physically strong as the Samurai or swift at stealth like the Shinobi, they commanded their magic and talents better than their counterparts. It was from them, did the Shinobi learn to master their magic of Chakra whereas the Samurai learned Ki and Chi. In the magic department, the Summoner ruled all. 

Samurai were the legendary honorable warriors of their time. Merciful when most cruel, loving when most hated, they were all of these. They balanced spiritual awareness with physical strength and talents. They were the best for the front line whereas the Shinobi were behind the scene warriors and the Summoners, behind the lines. The Samurai prided themselves on their different ways of fighting, from Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu to Kamiya Kashin. Diverse in all weapons, they taught the Shinobi awareness and the Summoners patience. 

Shinobi were shadows of death, assassins in shadow but honorable just the same yet only a few were ever all three. Often known as Shinobi or Ninjas, they used stealth and speed to overcome their enemies. Talented in using projectiles more than close combat, they choose swift deaths for their opponents. Until the Summoners help them master their Chakra, they could do no magic. Most Shinobi died because of lack of unawareness which the Samurai shown them. In return, the Shinobi helped the Samurai become swifter and the Summoners more able to hide and attack. 

Sometimes, there will be one that mastered all three branches of the military. They became the Shinigami. Emotionless soldiers of war, these Shinigami. Their name means God of Death and yet, they are dead. They were the unity of all three branches of the military. However, they lacked humanity, the ability to be human, to feel, to love and to have mercy on their enemies. They were the most hated and the most feared. 

Some say that the Shinigami still live to this day, under the masks of humans. Others believe that they are gone for good. Yet they still managed to live to this day, these Shinigami. There are only three left and when the last dies, then perhaps the Shinigami legacy will finally disappear for good. This is the story of the last Shinigami... 

This is the story of Umino Iruka, better known as Shikyou Rei, the Last Shinigami and the only one bound to another, or _others_... 

~*~

"...Iruka-sensei..." 

"Hai, Naruto?" 

"What are Humans? Is Life just that Simple?" 

"When a person dies...Doesn't matter if it's the past, present or future- they will everything...He died fighting in a mission- Death caught him unaware because life was that simple. It's like a dream, it's all the same even if you haven't reached your goal...But everyone knows that the most important thing is to die for a cause... 

"Family, friends, lovers, and all the other villagers- To me, those are the most important people...We trust each other, help each other...From the day we're born to the die we die, we start to feel that love is the most important. 

"And...that kind of relationship takes time to develop...and trust...Anyone with this headband knows...Because it's very important......" 

"............Yeah...I know that as well. But...Death is still painful..." 

"The Hokage wouldn't think it's painful because we both agree that people should not be hurt for no reason..." 

"Kakashi-sensei?" 

"But... it's no use even if you do understand..." 

"Right...! But not knowing is better than knowing..." 

"Bye Iruka-Sensei!" 

"Bye." 

_Shinobi of the Konoha...Hokage...This "spirit of the fire" you speak of, it will shine no matter where it goes. Even though it is a little fire, it shines brightly......At the same time, overlooking this village, protecting it...... _

And the Shinobi once again head towards a new tomorrow... 

~*~

The words I told Naruto that day, at the ceremony for Sandaime's death, have never truly left my heart nor my mind. I took me a long while to comprehend the words I spoke. I have not even realized speaking them. My voice was so different than what I know the one that is mine. I have never shone myself to be so wise, nor so calm except when I was teaching. It was like Sandaime was speaking through me, like my father speaking through me. The only other time was when Naruto learned the Kage Bushin no Jutsu. 

Life and Death...The endless circle of everything mortal. I know that I would die one day truly, though I am already dead, twice so. I know it not if I would be mourned or even perhaps remembered but I know I will die. I accept that. As a child I was only considered a delinquent, a troublemaker that is in reality a nobody, no one truly important. I'm just there, teaching, living, hiding and, also, running. Most wouldn't know that I was- still am- running. 

My life has no true meaning except that I am a Guardian, a pawn, a puppet for everyone. My life is not my own. My decisions are not mine. My entire being is everyone's to play with. I am nothing but a Dead man still living long past his day... 

I am a Shinigami... 

~*~

"Are you ready, Hokage-sama?" 

Tsunade quickly holstered the kunai that appeared in her hand when that dead voice spoke, even after a year as the Fifth Hokage of Konoha, she still have yet to fully stay off her guard when _he_ was concerned. . She knew she could trust him but the feel and sight of him, left him wary beyond belief. _He_ was a shadow separated from shadows, death made into physical form unlike the Shinobi in its entire essence at night, both he and one unwittingly other. There was a reason to why he was here, this Shinigami. There was always a reason. 

He served since until fifteen years ago and the other had undergone training for but a year without knowing the trainings true purpose, the purpose to be a new Shinigami. Tsunade and her guardian were thinking of revoking the latter of his training, best to revoke now when the latter still did not know the training's purpose. 

Tsunade nodded once in the Shinigami's direction before walking toward the forested area around the Konoha. Putting a strand of loose hair behind her ear, Tsunade spoke, "Better get this done and over with..." 

A whispered sound of wind singled that her guardian had merged once again with the shadows. Tsunade quickly scanned for other forms of chakra being used but found none of the sort, yet she kept wary. Tonight, she and another Kage would meet to discuss a coalition against the frequent attacks of a powerful rogue Shiniobi-tachi regiment. It was meant to be a secret meeting between the Kage-tachi there was only one Shinobi guardian for the each Kage. 

The meeting place was to be near the river some fifty kilometers away from the village, away from prying eyes. Tsunade paid great attention to make sure that none had followed her into the forest. She was almost certain that her fellow Kage and done the same. Yet, Tsunade almost completely knew that her Shinigami was a one of a kind save for his sensei and the leader of the Rogue Shinobi Regiment, at least to her knowledge. If one Shinigami leader could cause so much, what can a multitude could do? 

A small light of glowing red appeared as the fog rose from the river beside her. A soft breezed touched the back of her bare hand and Tsunade managed not to start. The Shinigami looked at her from under his hooded cloak. Two glowering bluish white eye-shaped lights stared at her from the darkness inside of the hood. A black gloved hand held her own and squeezed it tight as if to reassure her before he fell in step behind her. No one had followed and there was no one in a ten-kilometer radius, _so far_. Tsunade sighed in relief, "All right, let us go meet with them," she said looking back at her companion. 

The hood bounced once to signal a nod and the light emitted by him dulled to nothingness. Then they both entered the fogged area that surrounded the red light as the fog came up to engulf them and transport them to the true meeting place. Due to a powerful and forbidden jutsu, the Kage-tachi managed to arrange a meeting without leaving their respective country's bounds. Instead, at a designated spot and time frame, they will end up in a higher realm similar to the two spots in both countries, which were supposedly similar. 

Without warning the two appeared in a small shrine area, very different from the area in which they were teleported from. However, the same type of trees and river ran through the holy grounds. A small whistle in the still wind called out to them from behind the deepest parts of the fog. From the fog emerged a Kage with the symbols of the Mist Country. Behind her, a Shinobi dressed in dark blue stepped out from behind her. 

Tsunade and the other Kage bowed to one another in respect as they approached each other at the entrance of shrine but the Shinobi guardians remained where they were, they were here to protect, not eavesdrop. The Shinigami and the other Shinobi walked back to the vortexes that allowed them to enter this realm. No one would pass, whether it had been his or her intention or mistake. 

Back at the Shrine, Tsunade offered her arm to the old Kage as she led her up the steps of the stairs before them and into the main hall of the Cathedral like Shrine. The Mizukage nodded to her and showed her the way to their specialized meeting room. The room had guard safes made by the Ancient Extinct race of Summoners that once called this Realm home. Impervious to any sort of intrusion or eavesdropping, it was the perfect place for talking in private and would have no worry of anyone listening. 

The Guardian watched them go in from his post and his indifferent face fell to something in the likes of a smile, yet it held no emotion, it remained false but a smile nonetheless. _Let us hope that this alliance will not befall like that of the Stone Village Kage_, he thought. Just weeks prior, the Kage of the Stone Village was assassinated during one of the Hokage's rendezvous for alliances. The Shinigami wasn't able to prevent that and since then he kept beating himself for it when he walked back to his daily façade. 

Shikyou Rei was the name, he given himself when he was on the job and the other...well, that was his day charade and nothing more. Shinigami's weren't able to have feelings or anything that makes humans so human. He lost all chance of that when he accepted his training. That was the first death he faced and the one that remained the most revealing. 

With each day since Tsunade became Hokage, he began to regret that he did not die in his second death and now he was waiting for his third, the one that would finally be his last. He lived for far too long for being so young when he compared himself to his master. Yet his master was never bound to another and Rei was. Rei was bound to the Hokage because of a simple promise he made and sealed with the Sandaime. He had sworn himself to be his dark protector but when Sandaime died... 

Now, he was getting emotional, a surprise to even himself. Shinigami were no longer human but here he was, giving into emotion just like earlier. Was being a teacher getting to him? Was he starting to actually becoming his charade? Or is his charade becoming him? 

His false smile grew and somehow emotion of contradict humor shone through and he did not notice. Perhaps he was becoming human; Naruto can do that a person. Life seemed so simple now, it was an endless cycle of life and death but this time he wanted to end the homicide and genocide before it got worse. This time, he wanted to be the hero. However, was that not a human thought that just ran through his head? 

For a moment, he thought he would laughed but somehow managed to stay indifferent save for the smile that still graced his lips and grew wider by the second. A sound, too soft to be heard with normal eyes, came from his left. His face grew hard as he created a clone of himself before disappearing into his own shadow. 

Merging with shadows was a mastery of itself. One must learned to be able to be absorbed by shadows completely and wholly so that no physical form could be seen. Instead, Shadow merge was a way of transportation by shadow. Shadow molding however was different. Merging brought one into a parallel dimension. 

Rei looked to the floor as he ran from shadow to shadow in this parallel plane. The floor of where he was mirror of the floor from his original spot. At the mirror Shrine, he created another clone that parted for the room Tsunade and the Mizukage met. Satisfied, he ran back to where he heard the sound but heard swift sounds of running Shinobi to his right. Another clone departed to the place where the original sound was most likely located and Rei ran after the Shinobi-tachi. 

Tsunade watched the moon reflect on the stream from the window. She and the Mizukage had ended their meeting long ago but both decided to wait until the moon graced the sky for another hour. Tsunade did not like the feeling in the air when she suggested that the Mizukage stay. The alarms in her head had long ago ringed of danger. Tsunade did not want another Kage to die and frankly neither did the Mizukage. 

The door to their room creaked and both turned, kunai in each hand. Yet it was not from the door that their intruder came from but the shadows. Shikyou's clone had emerged from the shadow of the doorway. With a quick nod, the emotionless, monotone rang from inside the clone's hood, "Hokage-sama, Mizukage-sama," it bowed, "Intruders have trespassed this sacred plane, you both must escape. I will guide you to your respective vortex by shadow travel." 

Tsunade allowed the clone to lead her to the mirror realm. She knew this was not the original, she had been with his clones long enough to tell the difference between the original Shinigami from a fake. The Mizukage was not convinced. "Where is Shuuichi," spoke the ragged voice of the Mizukage. 

However, the clone did not answer as it took both of the Kage-tachi's hands and pulled them toward the mirror realm. Tsunade answered her fellow ally and leader, "Most likely dead by now." 

The Mizukage bowed her head and allowed the clone to finally lead her willingly. Tsunade gave her an encouraging smile and the two disappeared into the shadows. 

Rei watched as his multiple clones sped behind the mirror realm's copies of the Rogues. That only left him the leader to find. One thought that ran through his mind was how did they reach the realm? Through some secret vortex that he did not know about? Or was he not as thorough as he thought? Neither question gave him comfort. 

He had long ago discovered the body of the other Shinobi guardian. Mutilated beyond belief, even Rei who had done some such acts could not believe the cruelty. His past actions were for the good of his kind but this was mere massacre! 

Rei decided that he could do no more in the Mirror Realm and so he stepped out of shadow and into the sacred realm. It was time for him to be the Shinigami. It was time to be Shikyou, to be the reaper of Death. It was time to kill and protect. Now was not the time to be his day charade. The night is now and the time is for Death. 

He looked to the sky and to the red moon that shone above. Pushing his hood back, his eyes glowed bluish white before darkly red, no pupil lay among the whites of his eyes, only the glow of crimson blood red. His loose hair played with the breeze as the ends where now dipped with red, it was time for the Shinigami and there was the reason one why he was called the Ghostly Red Death. 

Shikyou listened to the wind, having long ago able to speak with the elements; he knew where the enemy was and how many were left. The smell of blood mingled with that of the Sakura tree's fragrance. Life dispersed like ants in the rain and most likely by his clone's hands that brought death new souls. A sound of a Kunai aiming for his head from the right made him smirk coldly and emotionlessly. 

With a quick flick of the wrist he managed to grasp the throwing knife in his right hand. His glowing eyes searched for the origin. Rapid footsteps seemed to run away to his back and toward the stream. He ran in pursuit. It would seem that he miscalculated on how many was left for this Rogue was no leader. 

His cloak had long fell behind him as the Shinigami chased one of the Rogue's minions into the Realm's forest. The stream of water grew louder as they drew nearer, the Shinigami's black scarf flowing swiftly behind him, passing through anything that might slow the Guardian down, phasing through the very much physical shrubbery. Starlight glittered against the black metal armguards and shin guards, making it glimmer dark silver. His two leather boots made no sound on the forest floor as he ran after his prey. 

The Rogue soon stopped in the middle of the rapid river, apparently waiting for him. Smirking coldly, the Guardian teleported in front of his prey but the Rogue moved the second the Shinigami touched the water. Flipping back, the Rogue tossed several kunai-tachi at the Shinigami, which the Guardian deflected with the movement of unsheathing his long sword katana that was bound to his sword belt near his left hip, its black blade shining dark grey as the Moonlight reflected on its smooth surface. With another strike, the second and third waves were warded off. 

The reddish light that emitted from his eyes glowered at his opponent, gauging the strength of this _weak_ Rogue. No irises were exposed, no pupils just plain white that emitted a red light that surrounded the eyes, they brought fear to any and all the laid their own sight on them. For a moment the Rogue stilled, almost afraid of the light that came from the Shinigami's eyes. If possible, the Shinigami's smirk grew even larger and much colder. 

Crouching low, the Shinigami drenched his katana into the river allowing the water to flow around it until it glowed blue, dark blue. Tilting his head to watch his opponent, he saw that the Rogue managed to move in that small time frame. A soft sound behind and then the Shinigami turned quicker than the normal eye could see. An arch of water sprang up from the river as the katana moved swiftly into the air in a one-eight degree turn but the Rogue dodged the attack. The katana still blazed the blue light. 

Yet the water instead of falling back into the river arched even higher into the air as the Shinigami made one-handed seals with his free left hand. The katana rose upright and the hand made a final seal behind it, the pointer and middle fingers outstretched as the rest remained curled, making a perpendicular angle with the sword, near the hilt but still touching the metal. The water soon solidified into a new being as the Shinigami spoke in his cold dead voice, "Ryuu no...!" 

From the water, a serpent dragon emerged and glided hastily at his opponent before incasing him in a column of water as it wrapped itself around him. The elemental dragon bowed its head toward its master before it dissipated back into the water in which it rose from. The Shinigami nodded once back before sheathing the katana once more. 

"That was too easy," he chuckled as he walked back to the shrine and grasping his cloak from its spot high up in a birch tree. "One down, ten more to go lest they already escaped, which they most likely did but oh well," then the Shinigami stopped as if to remember something, "Almost forgot..." 

Reaching into his black vest's front pocket, he retrieved a small piece of paper with the Kanji of Purify on it. The paper glowed white before zooming out of his hand and heading back toward the place where the Rogue was killed. A Shinigami always remembers to Purify his or her killing grounds, less chance of taint. 

Slinging his cloak over his shoulder, the Shinigami walked back to the Shrine. Blood drenched the holy grounds and scurried the air. Reaching back into his vest pocket, the Shinigami took out several of the same type of papers which also blazed white light before planting themselves in a circle with about a five kilometer radius from where he was, from the catalyst. 

As he finished he began to feel a small pain in the side of his neck, reaching up, he noticed a small pin dart embedded in his neck. With a grunt, the Shinigami pulled the accursed dart out before he collapsed unto the holy grounds of the Shrine. A seizure shook his body so much that he felt the agonies of his first death come back to him once again. With a growl, he flung his head to the sky, "Where are you?" 

A voice responded back as fleeing footsteps reached his ears but he was still immobilized, "Watching you, ore no itooshi from miles away. I have what I need. Your beloved Shinobi will not last, my dear. Soon our reign will come. Very soon." 

The red glow dulled to blue as the last of the Rogues disappeared from where they came. "I will not join you, omae no Temee! I will not allow myself to be used by you!" 

"We will see, itooshi..." 

Rei was soon able to stand on weak knees as he scanned for more intruders. His paper spells were done with their purifying. It was time to go back, to go back home. Using his sword as a walking stick, he walked back to his vortex, certain that Tsunade would be waiting for him on the other side. Dawn was approaching. 

He almost collapsed as he stumbled out of the portal but did not fall on to the ground. Tsunade caught him long before that. As he looked into her eyes, his eyes retained their pupils, brown russet eyes looked into those of the Hokage. Blood gushed from his wound in the neck as another opened on his back. As he coughed, blood specked his gloved hand. "Hokage-sama," he gasped. 

"Iruka," she stated as the dolphin teacher fainted there in her arms. "What am I going to do with you fainting every time you go back to yourself? How am I going to get a substitute teacher for your class, when everyone is on mission? Huh? You better wake up soon or else! Argh!!!" 


	3. Chapter Two

**

Not in Love: The Last Shinigami

**   
By   
Squall Morpheus Leonhart   
  
Rain fell harshly on the stone streets of the Konoha, a quick repetition of tap-taps over stone, such a beautiful sound to those that love the rain. Darkness had long descended on this weary town of Shinobi more than two hours ago. The rain lasted for a week now and the nightmares came and go with the splatter of raindrops, yet so did the hopeful dreams of one rurouni that walked the wet paths of the Shinobi village. No lights could reach him other than the light he made on his own. He was too far away from the village itself. 

Soft blue flames emerged from his outstretched right hand. The same color glowed in eye shaped lights underneath his weathered black cloak. It was his only protection against the harsh winds and the equally cruel rain. Normal people would find shelter in this weather but not he. He had a task to do and it could not wait, he had put it off too long. 

Lightning flashed and his face was revealed momentarily. Unlike before his eyes still retained their pupils of russet chocolate. His hair remained normal but tied in a low ponytail at the base of his neck underneath his cloak. To the normal eye, he would be same ordinary Iruka-sensei; he always had been minus the fact that there was a blue flaming dancing in his hand that was not powered by Chakra. 

Tap-tap-tap. He was soon drawing near the place he wanted to be, the place he had not seen for over 10 years, a place that was hidden from prying eyes and only let those of the Shinigami or blessed by them to enter. The Grove was made by the first trinity of Shinigami which consisted of Kryus of Illior and two unknown others. This garden was hidden in another dimension not unlike the High Realm but instead of being able to enter it, one must enter through the doorway that was near the ocean cliffs at the borderline of the Leaf Country. The reason on why he was so close now was that after leaving the site of the village, he shadow transport to the door. 

It was time of his second death when he had last visited this place. Everything was the same despite the rain that fell on his head in undisturbed rhythms. The birch and sakura trees swayed harshly against the cruel wind. The small stream grew into a large rapid river. Yet among it all, a stone statue of a winged man that stood melancholy amongst the stormy squall. 

He had black wings made of ebony stone, his head down cast toward his right side. A black katana of the same material leaned against his left hip. His face was chiseled smooth. Wayward hair was haphazardly thrown behind his back as if he could feel the storm itself. Iruka looked up to the face that once mirrored his own. 

Behind this statue of marble and ebony, stood two others yet one remained hidden in the shadows regardless of the light that emerged from the Dolphin's hand that spread into a wide radius. However, Iruka knew that the shadowed statue was made of ebony stone alone whereas the other that seemed to absorb the light of his small flame was composed of marble alone. Three statues of the three Shinigami, the trinity of life and death, they were the Three and always will be. Kouen Seirei, Mizuno Sutemi and Shikyou Rei, they alone once represented the trinity until the Corruption when many other trinities of Shinigami succumbed to the treachery of the so-called Beautiful One. 

That was when he had suffered his second death. Iruka sighed and walked to his mirror image, knowing that though this statue was of him, it had not the scar that marred his face. This was after all his true form but the scar was his reminder, his constant reminder of his first death. 

Of the three, only he was bound and only he was considered the last of the Shinigami lest he should make himself an apprentice. Naruto was no Shinigami, but he did had the potential of their powers and perhaps create a new generation of Shinigami. The Shinigami legacy was about to end and soon and Iruka was desperate for it be so. Naruto was, perhaps, the one that the prophecy foresaw. 

His free hand rose and touched the wet marble of his mirror face. "Gomen, Iruka-kun," he started, "I just didn't want to remember." 

A soft childish laughter sounded through the clearing. Emerging from the shadows came out a small boy no older than eight in a white shirt and shorts with black fishnet mesh underneath. His brown russet hair was tied in a high ponytail, sticking upward like his namesake's tail. Iruka-kun ran from the shadows behind the statue and stuck out his pinkish tongue and yet he was not wet. "You certainly took your time, Rei-nii," he sang out. 

Rei, the older version of Iruka, looked at the boy and soon collapsed on his knees to envelop him in a hug. "Gomen nasai, Iruka-kun. This place…t-this place holds too many memories for me and you." Ever since his second death, Rei never wanted to come back here though he knew that he had to keep in contact with Iruka-kun in order to retain part of his lost humanity and create the charade that Umino Iruka still lived. 

Still smiling, Iruka-kun brought his arms around the older man and leaned in more to the touch. "I know, Rei-nii," his childish voice whispered, "I know." 

A sad smile graced the Shinigami's lips; this child knew everything that went through him, everything from that first death at their tender age of eight years. More than once, the thought of what if he had refused to be a Shinigami came to his mind. Yet what was in the past was the past, it was over now. This boy was his last remaining humanity. It was from him, that he learned to become human again and the boy received nothing in return except to live life through his eyes. Rei tightened his embrace. 

"Rei-nii, he's coming back, isn't he?" Iruka-kun pulled away but only a centimeter, "The one that loved you and killed you? Kouen is coming, isn't he?" Three mere questions that could do so much comfort for the Shinigami but damaged him just the same. 

"Hai," gasped Rei as the Shinigami clung tighter to the boy, "Kouen is coming and he will get what he wants unless I get my power back from this place. Iruka-kun, you know what is going to happen. You know that I will fail, that I will let another die––" 

"IYA," declared the boy as he broke their embrace, "It was not your fault, Rei-nii. You could not be there when Sandaime-sama died; you were only doing what he asked of you that day. You could have not known," he comforted, "You can't see into the future and he knew that he was going to die, so why not in a battle?" 

"Demo…" 

"Usura tonkachi! Baka yarou no temee yo! Dobe no Rei yo! 

Rei whipped around, his eyes widened in surprise, "Riku…?" 

A boy that seemed to have seen 15 summers stepped out of the shadows of the completely ebony statue. The rain did not touch him like Iruka-kun though Rei thought that it should as the boy's silver locks shone better wet. From the darkness, the boy's midnight blue eyes, almost black, watched him, so alike the ones that Kouen had when he watched Rei train all those years ago. Unlike the shadows and darkness he was supposed to represent, he wore white clothing; white coat, white shirt, white pants just like his Shinigami counterpart. Sapphire eyes narrowed disgust as he hissed his insults, "This is the last Shinigami that kneels before me and he is emotionally unstable? This is the last of our kind showing weakness and fear when there should be none? Pitiful." 

Iruka-kun was quick to react. One moment he was in front of Rei and another, in front of Riku, his fist already making contact with the pale moonlike skin of his companion. "Don't you dare say that to Rei-nii," hissed the brunet harshly, "He is the last of our kind and thus is the most powerful. You remembered the prophecy, only the last will bring the new and death shall become life." 

"The way he grovels makes me doubt that he is even the last of us. No power could ever belong to such a weakling, regardless of he being the last or not. He is not worthy of such a title! 

"Groveling like the weakling he is, the disgrace of our sacred legacy. He was never supposed to be the last. You goddamn know that Iruka!!! You know that Arashi was the one we wanted and yet, _she_ chose him for his replacement. A boy not even worthy of carrying the Sword of Kryus. The Sword that belonged to the Lightbringer and was forged by the Warrior God and the Maker. That man I see before me is not worthy of such a sacred Sword. You should not even be here," spat the fair boy. 

"Yeah, well, Rei-nii is still a Shinigami regardless of what you say! Sutemi-nee chose him and me too, if you think about it. We were chosen, baka yarou! We were chosen to be Shinigami! Just because you and Kouen are already in your sixth lifetime does not mean that you are superior! We may still be in our first life and second rebirth but we are as powerful as you, if not more! You and Kouen are only Sakor blessed but we are Illior blessed! 

"Stop thinking that you are so great when you're not! We can and will surpass you! You can make sure of that! Just you wait and see, your Kouen will be groveling at Rei-nii's feet and Rei-nii will be victorious, just you wait and see!" Iruka-kun was huffing by the time he finish his retort. 

Rei felt a hint of a smile growing on his lips as he heard Iruka-kun's retort. However, bitterness had already set in his so-called dead heart from Riku's insults. He knew that Riku was only the humanity, as all Shinigami spirits were, of Kouen, a frightening thought when Kouen was concerned, as sometimes the spirit would reflect the Shinigami himself. However, Riku withdrew himself into himself, becoming not unlike Uchiha Sasuke. This quarrel between the two spirits seemed to be similar if not the same as the ones Sasuke and Naruto had. Yet, his heart plummeted more as he heard Riku's next insult. 

"Him, being more powerful than Seirei? Hah, why would a man that allows himself to be used by others be more powerful, especially if he acts more docile than a Shinigami should, which by the way shouldn't be at all!!! Your Shinigami is weak for allowing people to step all over him and not complain. He _fucking_ allows himself to be taken over and used by others!!!" 

Rei's heart froze and his body becoming numbed. That insult came to close to the truth, if not the truth itself. True, as Iruka-sensei, he had done all of that but did that consider him weak? Was that what the Konoha thought of him? Weak, emotional fragile Iruka-sensei who didn't have a backbone? Had he gone too far in his charade and finally made himself into the charade himself? Who was he? He was beginning to question his life all over again. 

Rei stood and the meaning of Riku's insult sunk into the fair boy's mind. Riku turned and hoped to still find Rei and apologized, yet the Shinigami was gone. All that was left was a hole in front of the marble and ebony statue, large enough for him to top the bottom with his fingertips. 

Iruka-kun looked at his companion and growled out, "Look what you done!" Then he faded into darkness. 

Elsewhere, a blond boy with fox-like whisker scars bolted awake from his slumber. Vibrant sky blue eyes jolted from corner to corner, scanning the room in fear as his blood pressure rose and his breath heaved from his chest. Lightning struck and then he plopped back down unto the borrowed futon in the guest room of the Uchiha Main House. Glancing to his right, green hued lights shone the hour of midnight on their digital luminous screen. 

Team 7 had returned from their mission but only a mere three hours ago. All were injured but content to finally allow the rain to soak them to the bone in their hometown of the Konoha as they walked through the south gate. It was a harsh mission, not unlike the one in the wave country three years ago. It was supposed to be a D class but instead turned out in the end to be an A class and this was not a mistake on the client. Kakashi almost lost his left arm, Sasuke his eyes, Sakura her life, and Naruto…he almost lost control over the Kyuubi Kitsune sealed in his body. 

Their mission was to retrieve an item from the Mizukage and return to the Konoha immediately after. However, things didn't go as planned. They were ambushed as soon as the Mizukage left them and they were outnumbered. The only thing Naruto remembered was a scream, blood and then darkness. He knew that it was then the Kyuubi took over until he managed to control the demon once more. By then, almost everyone was unconscious except Kakashi. 

Apparently, the Kyuubi still managed to remain a secret as Sasuke and Sakura were knocked out only seconds prior to Naruto's transformation. So far his secret was safe but for how long? Naruto violently shook his head. 

After taking Sakura home, Kakashi left them in a whirl of wind. All Naruto wanted to do was to go home and snuggle into his appealing comfortable bed. However, Sasuke stopped him from turning the last alley toward his apartment…. 

_ "Dobe," one simple insult that could do so much but at the moment cause Naruto to stop his running stride to his home. Naruto looked back at his teammate, still standing there where Kakashi left them, becoming more soaked to the bone by the rain as the seconds ticked by. _

He had the urge to growl an insult as a reprimand for stopping him and keeping him from his cold but much warmer than outside apartment. Somehow he managed to stop himself and answer with a small shaky question, "Nande desu ka?" 

Sasuke looked hesitant as if he was unsure of what he was doing. That was a first_, Naruto thought. Without preamble, Naruto started to look over the brooding Uchiha. He still wore the same outfit he did during the Chuunin Exams. His left arm was donned with wet bandages and his hair stuck to the sides of his face. All in all, he was a deadly drowned kitten. _Kitten?_ Naruto was sure that he was the same. _

"Usura tonkachi," the prodigy of the Uchiha clan started, "Do you…I mean…would you like to…anou…" Naruto's eyes widened in surprised. This was the first time that the blond rascal had heard his rival stutter minus the time with Orochimaru in the Forest of Death but even then there was no true stuttering just fear, a fear of death. 

For the moment, the invincible_ Uchiha Sasuke was starting to act human, a nervous wreck of a human but a human nonetheless. Taking a deep breath, the avenger continued but this time in a calm monotonous voice "Do you want to come over to my house? It's much warmer than your apartment." _

Naruto doubted that but agreed anyway, it was better than staying at home alone and perhaps this was the first step of Sasuke finally seeing him as an equal or at least more than a dumb dobe. 

Looking back, Naruto knew that he had been entirely wrong; this was Sasuke's way of returning a favor, a favor that was concocted when the blond saved Sasuke's life or at least his eyes, even if the bastard wasn't awake during that event. 

Yet that was not the most important thing to think about. _That dream…_

It was so familiar yet at the same time so foreign, especially since he had never heard that voice before or had he? The scenario, however, was familiar, as if a scene being played out from behind a foggy piece of looking glass. Naruto knew that he had somehow played that scene but he could not remember when, that is if the scene was not from the memory of the Kyuubi. The first thing that he remembered was a female voice… 

_ "Shimatta yo!" A gasp and then body dropping into the moist ground as the newly begun rain fell unto the earth. "Daijoubu desu ka? K'so, we're too late! Oi, wake up, wake up Yon—" _

Another voice interrupted the first, "Sutemi, urusei yo! Someone might hear!" This voice was that of a male, a man seemingly younger than this Sutemi by the sound of his voice. Naruto stirred slightly thus causing a warm slim hand to caress his neck in search of a pulse. "You know what are mission is, ne Sutemi?" 

"Hai but you know as well I do that if he dies before we can make the offer, we can't bring him back," Sutemi replied, "Seirei, we still have to make him last a bit longer, Dalna knows how long he has!" 

"Not Dalna, Sutemi, nor Sakor but Illior, remember this is Illior's candidate we have here and he is at least somewhat conscious, look his hand." 

"Dalna's Hands! How could I miss that?!" The warm hand on Naruto's neck moved to cup his chin, "Yo! Open your eyes!" And Naruto complied. 

The faces were still blurred but he managed to see two colors through the dim darkness of his sight. They were red and white eye-shaped glows looking back at him. The white color was closer to him and Naruto concluded that this was the female. "W-who are y-you?" 

"If we allow you to live for eternity," she started, "Would you take it? Would be a Shinigami, Blessed of Illior?" 

The blond's voice carried the words he did not want to say. "I have done enough in my life; I have given my life for my people, for my son, for a peaceful time. I have no wish to live again, as a Shinigami or otherwise. I am happy as I am now. I am at peace. I will not be your candidate; my answer remains the same, Mizuno-san. It is no…" 

A flash of light. 

Naruto found himself hovering over the body of seemingly dead body of a boy no older than eight. Like before, this scene was all a blur. What he could make out was the boy had chocolate colored hair drenched with blood that ran freely from some unseen gash and not the gash that lay across the bridge of his nose. His white outfit was also drenched from the wounds that were placed upon him. Beside him, two black figures laid dead, one female and one male. Naruto was about to move away when one of the boy's hands moved.

"Okaa-san, Otou-san…Doushite…yo?" It was so soft that Naruto strained to hear it. It seemed_ so, so familiar only._ Like I heard it before only with slight differences. Who is he? Someone I know???__

Soon the image began to clear and before Naruto could finally see the boy's true face as two figures came into view along with a massive shadow that grew bigger as it descended on the new group, he woke up… 

Iruka soon found himself in front of his apartment door. He spent a majority of his time after the incident at the glove at his favorite bar, drowning glass after glass of his favorite strong suicide drink. It was just another night of misery for the sensei of the Konoha Academy and Shinigami of Illior. Just another lonely night of betrayal that spoke only of more pain as the moon continued to rise in the sky above, behind the storm clouds that continued to pour cruelly unto the street of the village. 

He could never get truly drunk, being a Shinigami prevented that and there was also the fact of his bloodline had a part in that as well. Yet the faint touch of being drunk had come only when he drunk his favorite drink. The bartender said that it was considered suicide since with one sip, one can already be as drunk if they had a thousand sakes or vodka shots. Thank the Lightbringer for some small mercies, right? Wrong. 

Even in public, Iruka would still swear to his God of Knowledge and Madness, of Thieves/Shinobi and Summoners. It was only common for him to do so as he was the Shinigami of Illior, a trait that every God of Death had. They were to swear and only to swear to their respective deity, it was the only unspoken rule they had and perhaps the most important if the scrolls that Sutemi left with him were accurate. 

One of his hands was about to grasp the doorknob as some forced pushed him hard against the wood of the door. Cloth-covered lips began to caress his neck and Iruka moaned out, "Not now Kakashi…" 

Yet Kakashi did not relent and why should he? They both needed this release of emotions and physical tension. They were after all, for the lack of another word, fuck consorts. Vulgar as it may be it was what they named it. They were not friends of any sort; they have not even known each other until Naruto formally introduced them to one another. They then only knew what rank and each other's name were but now they had a face to put to the name, if only a cloth-covered masked face for one of them. 

Despite Iruka's initial protests, the duo found themselves in the dolphin's room, on the bed running hands and lips over every part of the other's half covered body, though Kakashi still wore his mask, the scarecrow still managed to mark the other. The only thing they avoided was the touch of lips. When Kakashi as about to dip his had, Iruka turned. "This is not part of the deal, Hatake-sensei." Then they would continue without interruption. 

Later that night, Iruka looked up to the ceiling and inhaled softly. "Am I really just letting myself used? I wish you were here to tell me…Seirei…" Iruka then fell asleep to the sound of rain hitting the windows and roof. Kakashi slept undisturbed and unknowing to the turmoil that rest in the other's soul.   
  
AN: I really hate this chapter, I really do. I was supposed to have it finished by May 26 for Iruka's birthday but I couldn't, plus I did have this finished but…when I saved it on a floppy disk at school and brought it up to my home computer's hard drive, the fucking thing wouldn't read. I spent about the last couple week's wallowing in rage and sorrow. There was even a Lemon in the first version of this Chapter!!! I may add it later as an extended scene but not now. I dedicate this to the person who showed a certain Yahoo group a glimpse of a possibly OFFICIAL unmasked Kakashi pic from the movie. You know who you are and here is a literary Kakashi and Iruka plushy for you, even if you don't read this story. My site is being updated right now with more in depth info on this chapter and the series itself. I plan to have the newest update soon. Hopefully the third chapter will come up soon and for anyone who wants to know my progess on this story, I have my own Yahoo Group which is called Umino Iruka Ai, which is dedicated to all Iruka Yaoi Pairings, please join and make this author happy! =U= 

Make sure you remove the spaces to go the sites!! 

Bound Shinigami – www . geocities . com / squallmorpheusleonhart / enter . html 

Umino Iruka Ai – www . groups . yahoo . com / group / uminoirukai / 


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